Lviv Gets Its First Fast Tram Line

While Ukraine’s trams still have a long way to go to catch up to “European standards”, Lviv has taken a small step toward that goal with the launch of a new tramline to Sykhiv on November 17th with the assistance of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and German grants. Sykhiv, a large residential district in the south of the city that features many high-rise apartment buildings, was originally designed in the 1980s to feature a fast tramline to the city centre. The plans called for several new lines around the city, including underground sections in the city centre. However, with the fall of the Soviet Union, these plans were scrapped. Dreams of a fast tram network, with the much-needed connection to Sykhiv, resurfaced after Ukrainian independence. The area was connected to the city centre by trolleybus line in 1997 and construction on the new tramline began in 2008, before being delayed due to lack of money. The project for the long-awaited connection was green-lit again in 2011 when external funding was obtained and work on the route began in earnest in July 2014.

Finally, on November 17th, the Sykhiv-City Centre tram first opened its doors to passengers. For now, the route will run from Soborna Square to Dovzhenko Cinema, but by year-end the trams will run to the terminus at Vernadskoho St. Each day will see 13 trams run to Sykhiv at intervals of 5-6 minutes. Seven of the trams feature the brand-new Electron carriages that were purchased just this year. The trams are scheduled to run from 6:11 to 00:05, but there are rumours that the tram may run right around the clock. According to Lvivelectrotrans, it should take 25-30 minutes for passengers to reach city centre from Sykhiv by tram.